Redemption
by sorakazuma
Summary: Byakuran's reflection on his life while he is falling from the sky, and those that truly matter to him.


Redemption

Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Spoilers to Chapter 366+.

"I know my heart is broken, you can have it anyway, if I can only see you again…" – 'Heaven' by Natalia Kills

The sky had never looked so beautiful, Byakuran mused, as he fell from it, his face turned toward the heavens. The sun had set an hour or so prior and it was a clear night. Thousands of stars shone like diamonds on a sea of black so brilliant above the city lights that he hardly knew he was in downtown Japan.

He had to give credit to Colonello…a released Arcabaleno was deadly and the fact that he was falling out of the air, his dying will flames disintegrating with the power of the rain attribute buster-cannon explosion he had practically taken to the face was proof enough of that.

He had protected Vongola…even if it meant protecting Mukuro and Fran too. He had reached out and extended an alliance to Tsuna, and they had willingly accepted a token of good will. Millefiore had been rebuilt without all the cruel intentions that it had held within it before. He had tried to make amends with his best friend, who he had probably hurt the most. And he had told Yuni how he truly felt about her.

Even so, Tsunayoshi didn't trust him, and he couldn't blame him. Still the boy would settle for considering him a comrade and Byakuran could live with that. Yuni and Tsuna were close friends and Yuni loved Reborn…he highly doubted that the alliance between their two families would fade even after the Representative Battle was over. Kikyo, Zakuro and Bluebell would follow their sworn duty and continue to protect and serve the Arcabaleno Princess. Shoichi and Spanner were as much a part of Vongola as they were Millefiore…they would no doubt continue to serve as both comrade and friend to both…though Byakuran was a little hurt that Shoichi was distancing himself out of doubt and fear. He had wished they had had the time to become close again, like they used to be, but even then he couldn't fault him for feeling that way.

In the end, the only one he had been able to convey his feelings to was Yuni. Out of everyone, she was the one who had had no reason to trust or believe in him from the start and yet she did so without hesitation. He had hurt her in the past, in ways that he was ashamed to even admit to, and yet she had let him into her heart and had been the one person to reach out to him when he was too far gone to see that he was on a path of destruction to everything and everyone around him, including himself. In letting him in, she had stolen a small piece of his heart and he was resolved that if he never did anything else in his life, he would protect her and all of her wishes and try to make them come true.

Staring up at the dazzling sky, watching it drift further and further away, he flashed the heavens that sweet, almost mischievous smile of his and closed his violet eyes.

If this was the moment where he died, then he would do so with as few regrets as possible. He was content with this ending.

The ground came hard and fast and there was the sickening impact of his body on the grass and he laid there, sprawled across the lawn with glowing feathers fading on the carpet of green and his broken wings sprawled behind him like a fallen angel. He was past the point of pain, completely numb and hovering just on the verge of consciousness. He wasn't afraid of death, but he found himself afraid of leaving everyone behind. It was so ironic and bittersweet, that he had nearly destroyed the entire world because he couldn't find anyone close to connect with and now that he looked around, the same people that had been beside him then, were beside him now, closer then ever.

'Take care…' He found himself saying goodbye and with a small shivering breath was gone.

Warmth filled him, heart and soul, like a hug from a friend. It started small and fragile, like the spark of a candle and then grew to fill him completely. Byakuran blinked, his consciousness fighting back from the brink of death. What was this? He had been saved similarly before from Yuni's supreme Sky flame powers, but this was different…it felt different.

Pain rushed and leapt at him, screaming mentally until he felt his own dying will crippling under the sheer weight of agony. The healing warmth threw itself in the way, shielding the tatters of Byakuran's life force with its blinding radiance. The man watched the bright light flood his wounds, restoring them whole. He reached out, trying to touch it in his hands, and the minute his psyche connected with the blinding light, he knew without a doubt, who it was.

The echoes of battle rang back in Byakuran's ears and he could feel himself take in a breath, the ragged heave of his charred lungs struggling to take in air. He could feel the dewy grass underneath him… he was still on the front lawn.

The soft sound of sobbing caught him by surprise. He struggled to find the strength to open his eyes, lavender hues slowly fluttering up and when he was able to see clearly he found a smile curling up the side of his handsome mouth. He had known all along who had been the one to bring him back, but it still touched his heart to be able to see it.

Sitting next to him was Shoichi, his small frame trembling as tears streamed down his face. He was Tsuna's age, still just a boy, but he was one of the only people Byakuran felt like he could talk to on the same level. He was so shy and undeniably sweet, and Byakuran had hurt and betrayed him so horribly in the past that a castle wall had built itself up between them and Byakuran didn't if he had the right to try and break it down.

But now that same timid boy was sitting here in the middle of a warzone, using the only thing he had, his dying will flames, to try and save a life that a hundred times over had not been worth saving. Byakuran found himself staring at the light emanating from his chest where Shoichi was just barely touching him. Bright amber gold- Sun attribute flames that specialized mainly in regeneration and healing. With his quiet awkward personality, it was hard to imagine that such a person possessed such brilliant and warm capabilities, and yet here he was, against all odds, putting them to use.

He hadn't seemed to realize that he was being watched yet and Byakuran couldn't help but to prey on that. His tinge of a smile grew as he watched him sob. "You're glasses are all fogged-up Sho-chan. How can you see what you're doing?" He tried his best playful tone, but it came out withered and tired.

Shoichi's body tensed up and he quieted. One hand pulled away from Byakuran's chest and he whipped the glasses off his face dropping them in the grass like the metal frames stung. Watery wide green eyes stared at him, barely taking in the fact that he was awake and conscious and looking back at him and all at once he burst out in tears again. "Oh thank God!" He bawled as the drops of water fell down his cheeks. "I-I didn't think I… made it in time…"

He put his hand back against the other and the intensity of the sun flames blazed like a shooting star against the ground. "I-I heard the explosion and then I saw you fall…I thought you were…." He bit at his bottom lip, not able to say the one thing he dreaded most. His cheeks flared as red as his hair but he seemed to steady after a few minutes. "Don't worry…I'll do all I can to heal you. And…I-I'm s-sorry…so sorry about what I said earlier..." His voice quivered. "About you being ruthless and cruel. Y-You're not the same person you used to be."

Byakuran closed his eyes, feeling emotion well up in him…or perhaps it was Shoichi's emotion flooding him as his dying will flames eased all the brutal injuries brought about by the maximum rifle. "It's not that I didn't deserve it." He said softly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I've done so much wrong by you…I can't ask you to forgive me."

"You're my best friend!" Shoichi blurted out, watery eyes looking shocked.

"Am I?" Byakuran couldn't help but ask. "I wouldn't blame you if you replaced me with Tsunayoshi or Spanner-"

"Byakuran!" The boy looked up at him and those green eyes seemed to harden as he frowned. "I-I stood by you back then even when you were doing those horrible things. Even then…I forgave you. I wanted to save you then. W-Why would I walk away from you now?" He quirked an awkward sweet smile. "You'll always be my best friend."

"Heh." Byakuran had no response to that, his argument dying on his tongue. He lifted his hand slowly, even against hearing Shoichi's whine of protest and placed it overtop the boy's, and right overtop his heart. "Thank you, my friend."

Shoichi blushed horribly but smiled shyly and didn't try to move away. Byakuran's own resolve began to grow, and his tattered wings started to repair themselves, the feathers glistening like ivory dust in the dim light.

Another person has walked in and saved him, yet again chipping at the ice cold wall that had always been inside him. Shoichi had perhaps been one of the people who had always resided in Byakuran's heart, but he owned a piece of it now, the same way that Yuni did. If his presence could bring out the radiance in those around him, and he could let them in, then perhaps his redemption wasn't far off.

END

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